my choice is to do what my crew did for me in a dusty field in iraq. on november 12th, 2004, i was co-piloting my blackhawk north of baghdad when we started taking enemy fire. eye rocket-propelled grenade hit our helicopter. exploding in my lap. ripping off one leg. crushing the other. and tearing my right arm apart. but i kept trying to fly till i passed out. and that moment, my survival and the survival of my entire crew, depended on all of us pulling together. and even though they were wounded themselves, and insurgents were nearby, they simply refused to leave a fallen comrade behind. their heroism is why i'm alive today. and ultimately -- [ applause ] ultimately, that is what this election is about. yes, it's about the issues that matter to me, building -- [ applause ] >> usa! usa! >> -- building an economy that will create jobs here at home. and will outcompete countries around the world. but it's also about something else. it's about whether we do for our fellow americans what my crew did for me. whether we'll look out for the hardest hit and th